


Unshaken

by curlycrisp



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-12-14 07:27:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21012002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/curlycrisp/pseuds/curlycrisp
Summary: The Van der Linde gang helps you escape a bloody past. With them, you find a place to sleep, warm food, and maybe love?





	Unshaken

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome! This is my first ever fanfic to be posted online! Wow, go me.
> 
> I also haven't written in aggesss, so this is a little rusty. Please let me know what you think!
> 
> And cheers for reading :)

The sound of glass shattering rips you awake, and you jerk upright in your bed, staring about wildly as your eyes adjust to the darkness.

For a moment there’s silence, and you wonder if it was just a bad dream. Then you hear yelling from outside, rough and taunting. It’s not until a gunshot sounds that you are able to force your muscles into action, leaping out of bed and reaching behind your wardrobe for your revolver.

You step cautiously out into the hallway, and are almost bowled over by your older brother. Jamie’s face glows in the pale moonlight as he grabs you by the shoulders roughly. You start to protest, but the strained look on his face makes you fall silent.

“Get to the barn. Out the back door. Be fast and quiet. Get Cali and run. Now.”

At first, all you can do is stare at him as the reality of the situation sets in, and fear floods your veins, cold and prickly. Another gunshot sounds, and you both jump.

“Now!” Jamie shakes you roughly, and you nod.

He kisses you on the forehead briefly, before releasing your shoulders and turning towards the kitchen, where the front door is. You pause only for a second, before fear sends your feet into motion. You sprint silently towards the back door, and out into the night air.

Again a gun is fired, and your feet falter as you worry for Jamie.

_ He said run. Get Cali and run. _

The barn is only a short distance from the house, and you slip between the sliding doors into pitch blackness, panting from a mixture of exertion and fear. A low nicker sounds from the right, and you rush to your grey mare’s stall, pausing only to grab her bridle from the tack hook outside.

More guns are being fired, and your hands shake so hard it takes you a few tries to ease the leather straps over Cali’s head, the mare growing agitated from the sounds outside.

You lead her from her stall, glancing briefly at your saddle before hoisting yourself onto her bare back.

“... the girl! There should be a girl! Check the barn!”

The rough male’s voice carried to you clearly, much closer than you’d anticipated, and in a panic you dig your bare heels into her sides. The mare snorts in shock, before urging forward towards the open door. As you emerge into the moonlight you risk a glance towards the house. Four, maybe five, men are jogging towards you, and the closest shouts as you appear.

“Get the bitch!”

You yank Cali’s head to the right and kick her again, and the obedient little mare doesn’t hesitate to take off towards the treeline.

Gunshots crack behind you, the sound loud and harsh in the humid night air. You bend lower over your horse’s neck.

_ Come on, Cali. _

From behind you, there’s more yelling. Some more shots. Pain, hot and fierce, rips up the left side of your torso, making you cry out. Cali is galloping now, in full flight mode, and you give up on the reigns, grabbing fistfulls of her mane in your shaking hands, squeezing your eyes shut in a grimace against the pain.

_ Please, girl, get us out of here. _

The pain from your left side grows, coming in waves, stealing periods of consciousness from you as Cali carries you through the night. At some point, the mare slows, until you are rocking gently against her neck, doubled over as she picks her way determindley through the trees.

You lie against her neck, clutching a hand to your stomach, feeling the warmth of your blood as it runs slowly between your fingers.

_ Too much blood. Too much. _

You are vaguely aware of the sun starting to rise. Of the first rays making their way through the thick treeline. But what drags you back to consciousness is the sound of men calling out.

“... what the hell’s goin’ on?”

“Dutch! Gettout here!”

Panicked, you try to push yourself upright, but your hand slips against Cali’s wet neck.

_ Sweat? No, blood. Oh God. _

One of the men has approached, and he reaches out cautiously to catch Cali’s loose reigns. The mare, ever trusting, snorts against his outstretched hand, before allowing him to come closer.

Your new-found fear pricks at your gun-shot wound, and you moan in pain as a cowboy hat enters your blurry vision.

“Hey there, are you- oh.. oh God. Hang in there, ma’am, we’re gonna get you some help.”

The man turns away to yell for someone, and you feel yourself start to slip away again. Darkness tugs at the edges of your vision, and this time you go willingly, welcoming the temporary reprieve.


End file.
